Power Integrated Resource Plan

The Power Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is Pasadena’s long-range blueprint for supplying reliable and environmentally responsible electricity at competitive rates.

Previous Community Meetings

September 21, 2023

Please note: content in this slide show has been edited since the meeting for the purposes of clarification and/or improved readability.

April 27, 2023

Please note: content in this slide show has been edited since the meeting for the purposes of clarification and/or improved readability.

February 22, 2023

Stakeholder Technical Advisory Group

To ensure that the priorities of the community continue to be represented in PWP’s IRP process, a diverse Stakeholder Technical Advisory Group (STAG) of ratepayers, residential and commercial customers, environmental advisory groups, City Commissioners, and City Leaders and City Staff was created for the 2023 IRP. Participation provides STAG members with a unique opportunity to provide valuable input on power supply issues important to the community. The STAG also assists in identifying priorities, actions, and timelines included in the IRP.

Tentative Schedule for 2023 Power IRP Development

Tentative Dates Tentative Milestones
May 2022 Reponses to RFP Due
June-July 2022 IRP project team interviews
November 2022 Select IRP project team
December 2022 Stakeholder Process to begin with IRP project team
January-March 2023 Public Meetings
April 2023 Outline of IRP
June 2023 Draft of IRP delivered by IRP project team
July 2023 Final IRP delivered by IRP project team
October - November 2023 City Council Approval
December 2023 Submit 2023 IRP to the California Energy Commission

Previous Power IRPs

PWP produces an IRP every five years in accordance with Senate Bill (SB) 350 and issues periodic voluntary updates, when necessary. IRPs have been published in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and, most recently in 2021.

2021 IRP Update

The 2021 IRP Update was approved by the City Council on January 31, 2022.  Developed with the same goals established through the 2018 IRP stakeholder process, the 2021 document expands on the 2018 plan in light of current laws, regulations, and energy market conditions, which have changed significantly during the past three years.

The continued growth of renewable resources has required California to update its regulatory structure and strategic approach to meeting the state’s ambitious GHG reduction goals. Accordingly, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees California’s power grid, is undergoing modification of its operating tariff, which will affect PWP’s continued participation in the CAISO energy markets. In addition, costs of renewable resources continue to fall, due to technology advancement and tax incentives.

Due to these external factors, the 2021 IRP Update features revised projections of PWP’s power supply portfolio and recommends that approximately 260 megawatts (MW) of new capacity supplies will be necessary by 2030 to yield 120 MW of firm capacity.  This new capacity includes zero-carbon resources (wind, solar, storage and hybrids), modest demand response, and short-term purchases of capacity to meet residual obligations to the CAISO.  The added capacity addresses PWP’s strategic goals, including:

  • Meeting forecasted peak and energy loads
  • Achieving California’s Renewable Portfolio Standards
  • Reducing carbon emissions to zero by the end of 2045
  • Meeting new capacity planning standards and reliability criteria in California

2021 IRP Update Recommendations

  • Review increasing near-term procurement recommendations and potentially adding 70 MW of firm capacity by 2025 for reliability and Resource Adequacy program requirements (approximately 120 MW nameplate capacity of wind, solar and hybrid resources, excluding storage)
  • Investigate energy storage options for capacity requirements and local reliability needs. The 2021 IRP Update identifies 50 MW nameplate of cost-effective storage to be added by 2025
  • Continue efforts toward achieving 60% RPS by 2030 and net-zero carbon by 2045
  • Examine potential alternative fuel sources for local reliability resources, such as biogas and green hydrogen at Glenarm Power Plant
  • Refine forecasted growth of electric vehicle charging in Pasadena

2021 Power Integrated Resource Plan Report

The 2021 Power IRP Report is available for review.

 

2018 Power IRP

Pasadena’s 2018 IRP, one of the earliest to be produced in California that is compliant with the ambitious environmental targets of SB-100, was approved by the City Council on December 10, 2018.  Developed through an extensive community stakeholder process designed to evaluate resource planning options that would best balance system reliability with fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship, the 2018 IRP recommends carbon-free long-term resource commitments, elimination of coal-fired generation, and aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.

Strategies include:

  • Achieving the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target of 60% by 2030 as required by SB-100
  • Meeting the California Air Resources Board’s recommended GHG emissions reduction planning target of at least 75% below 1990 levels by 2030
  • Eliminating coal from PWP’s power portfolio by June 2027
  • Non-participation in the Intermountain Power Renewal Project, a 50-year natural gas coal facility replacement project
  • Meeting local energy needs without any new long-term contracts for fossil-fueled resources
  • Utilization of a Social Cost of Carbon for long-range planning purposes (as a dispatch penalty in the production cost model)

Learn More About Previous Power IRPs

PWP has made significant progress towards achieving the goals set in previous Power IRPs. To view archived Power IRP documents, click here.